HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yudd, A. P. Articles by Baxter, K. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yudd, A. P. Articles by Baxter, K. G. Related Collections Nuclear Medicine

Use of Sentinel Node Lymphoscintigraphy in Malignant Melanoma

¹ Department of Radiology, MEB 404, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1 Robert Wood Johnson Pl, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 (A.P.Y., J.S.K., T.J.S., R.S.F.)
² Department of Surgery, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick (J.S.G.)

Lymphoscintigraphy is a sensitive, inexpensive, relatively noninvasive method of identifying lymphatic drainage patterns and sentinel lymph nodes in patients with malignant melanoma. Lymphoscintigraphy with filtered technetium-99m sulfur colloid allows prompt visualization of the lymphatic system, produces high-quality images, and delivers a low radiation dose to the patient. In addition, good regional lymph node retention is seen with filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid, improving the success rate of intraoperative gamma probe localization. In combination with surgical localization, lymphoscintigraphy allows preoperative and intraoperative identification of the sentinel node in patients with intermediate thickness melanomatous lesions, obviating radical lymph node dissection in most patients and possibly prolonging their survival. Variables such as tumor location, type and preparation of radiopharmaceutical, injection technique, imaging technique, and prior surgical intervention influence the efficacy of lymphoscintigraphy. Nevertheless, lymphoscintigraphy is recommended as a cost-effective preoperative procedure in all patients planning to undergo elective lymph node dissection. Because of the unpredictability of lymphatic drainage, preoperative scintigraphic findings may lead to changes in surgical management.

Invited Commentary

Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. N. Lane, L. B. Dolan, D. Worsley, and D. C. McKenzie Upper extremity lymphatic function at rest and during exercise in breast cancer survivors with and without lymphedema compared with healthy controls J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2007; 103(3): 917 - 925. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A F Scarsbrook, A Ganeshan, and K M Bradley Pearls and pitfalls of radionuclide imaging of the lymphatic system. Part 1: sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy in malignant melanoma Br. J. Radiol., February 1, 2007; 80(950): 132 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. B. Goldberg, D. A. Merton, J.-B. Liu, G. Murphy, and F. Forsberg Contrast-Enhanced Sonographic Imaging of Lymphatic Channels and Sentinel Lymph Nodes J. Ultrasound Med., July 1, 2005; 24(7): 953 - 965. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. B. Goldberg, D. A. Merton, J.-B. Liu, M. Thakur, G. F. Murphy, L. Needleman, A. Tornes, and F. Forsberg Sentinel Lymph Nodes in a Swine Model with Melanoma: Contrast-enhanced Lymphatic US Radiology, March 1, 2004; 230(3): 727 - 734. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]